Read Online The Gift by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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neck too hard?”
“No, it wasn’t that.” Priscilla pointed. “Look, there’s a
maus
! It’s nibbling on the laces of my sneaker!”
Leah grabbed a broom and chased after the mouse. It zipped across the room and disappeared behind a stack of boxes.
“You can come down now. The maus is gone.” Leah extended her hand to Priscilla.
Priscilla looked a bit hesitant but finally stepped down. Quickly grabbing up her shoes, she took a seat in the chair and slipped them on her feet.
“I wonder why that little mouse was so interested in your shoelace.” Leah snickered. “It’s certainly not covered in peanut butter or cheese.”
Priscilla’s fingers touched her parted lips. “No, but I spilled some chicken soup during lunch, and a little of it ended up on my shoes. Guess I didn’t get it all cleaned off.”
Leah looked at Priscilla’s shoes and giggled. Priscilla did the same. Soon, Leah was laughing so hard she had to sit down. It felt good to find some humor in such a small thing. With all the horrible things that went on in the world, a little bit of laughter was good medicine.
When Adam secured his horse to the hitching rack outside his house that afternoon, he was surprised to see the black Lab that had come into his store, prancing up the driveway. “Oh no,” he moaned. “Not you again! What’d you do, boy, follow me home?”
Woof! Woof!
The dog raced up to Adam and pawed at the leg of his pants.
“I can’t believe this. Why me, of all people? I don’t even like dogs that well.” Adam clapped his hands and pointed toward the road. “Go home, boy! Go back to where you belong!”
After Adam brushed his horse down, he went into the kitchen so he could get his Thermos and lunch pail ready for the next day. Cleaning the Thermos, Adam watched out the window and rolled his eyes. The dog had made himself comfortable lying near the wheel of Adam’s buggy.
“That crazy mutt has a mind of his own,” Adam muttered. “Maybe if I stay inside awhile longer, he’ll leave.” Adam took a few celery stalks from the refrigerator and snipped off the ends. After rinsing the pieces, he got the peanut butter and spread it on the celery. He munched on one and wrapped the others to put in his lunch pail for the following day. After placing the rest of the celery back in the fridge, he paused a minute, making sure he had enough bread, lunch meat, and cheese to make a sandwich in the morning to take to work. Satisfied that there was plenty, he shut the refrigerator door. He looked out the window but didn’t see the dog.
“Oh, good.” Adam grabbed the peanut butter and went to the pantry. After putting the jar away, he took out a pack of crackers and a few cookies to add to his lunch box. Now all he’d have to do in the morning before heading to work was make a sandwich.
“Guess it’s safe to go back outside.” Grabbing his hat, Adam went out the door but halted when he approached the barn and saw the mutt lying there, looking up at him.
“Are you still here?”
The dog wagged his tail but didn’t budge.
Adam wondered if the critter might be lost or abandoned. He’d heard of people driving to an area outside their neighborhood and dropping off their unwanted pet. Even though Adam didn’t care much for dogs, he thought it was terrible if someone had deserted the Lab.
Flash nickered when Adam drew near and ran a hand down the horse’s neck. “What do you think of that pesky dog?”
Flash snorted and shook his head.
“I feel the same way.” Adam chuckled as he unhooked the horse, leading him past the dog and into the barn.
Before leaving for work, Adam had raked out the stall and put fresh bedding inside for his horse. At least that was one chore he wouldn’t have to do this evening. Adam led Flash into the stall and started brushing him down. When that was done, he gave the horse fresh water and put oats in the feeding bin. While Flash ate, Adam ran a curry comb through the horse’s mane.
“No, it wasn’t that.” Priscilla pointed. “Look, there’s a
maus
! It’s nibbling on the laces of my sneaker!”
Leah grabbed a broom and chased after the mouse. It zipped across the room and disappeared behind a stack of boxes.
“You can come down now. The maus is gone.” Leah extended her hand to Priscilla.
Priscilla looked a bit hesitant but finally stepped down. Quickly grabbing up her shoes, she took a seat in the chair and slipped them on her feet.
“I wonder why that little mouse was so interested in your shoelace.” Leah snickered. “It’s certainly not covered in peanut butter or cheese.”
Priscilla’s fingers touched her parted lips. “No, but I spilled some chicken soup during lunch, and a little of it ended up on my shoes. Guess I didn’t get it all cleaned off.”
Leah looked at Priscilla’s shoes and giggled. Priscilla did the same. Soon, Leah was laughing so hard she had to sit down. It felt good to find some humor in such a small thing. With all the horrible things that went on in the world, a little bit of laughter was good medicine.
When Adam secured his horse to the hitching rack outside his house that afternoon, he was surprised to see the black Lab that had come into his store, prancing up the driveway. “Oh no,” he moaned. “Not you again! What’d you do, boy, follow me home?”
Woof! Woof!
The dog raced up to Adam and pawed at the leg of his pants.
“I can’t believe this. Why me, of all people? I don’t even like dogs that well.” Adam clapped his hands and pointed toward the road. “Go home, boy! Go back to where you belong!”
After Adam brushed his horse down, he went into the kitchen so he could get his Thermos and lunch pail ready for the next day. Cleaning the Thermos, Adam watched out the window and rolled his eyes. The dog had made himself comfortable lying near the wheel of Adam’s buggy.
“That crazy mutt has a mind of his own,” Adam muttered. “Maybe if I stay inside awhile longer, he’ll leave.” Adam took a few celery stalks from the refrigerator and snipped off the ends. After rinsing the pieces, he got the peanut butter and spread it on the celery. He munched on one and wrapped the others to put in his lunch pail for the following day. After placing the rest of the celery back in the fridge, he paused a minute, making sure he had enough bread, lunch meat, and cheese to make a sandwich in the morning to take to work. Satisfied that there was plenty, he shut the refrigerator door. He looked out the window but didn’t see the dog.
“Oh, good.” Adam grabbed the peanut butter and went to the pantry. After putting the jar away, he took out a pack of crackers and a few cookies to add to his lunch box. Now all he’d have to do in the morning before heading to work was make a sandwich.
“Guess it’s safe to go back outside.” Grabbing his hat, Adam went out the door but halted when he approached the barn and saw the mutt lying there, looking up at him.
“Are you still here?”
The dog wagged his tail but didn’t budge.
Adam wondered if the critter might be lost or abandoned. He’d heard of people driving to an area outside their neighborhood and dropping off their unwanted pet. Even though Adam didn’t care much for dogs, he thought it was terrible if someone had deserted the Lab.
Flash nickered when Adam drew near and ran a hand down the horse’s neck. “What do you think of that pesky dog?”
Flash snorted and shook his head.
“I feel the same way.” Adam chuckled as he unhooked the horse, leading him past the dog and into the barn.
Before leaving for work, Adam had raked out the stall and put fresh bedding inside for his horse. At least that was one chore he wouldn’t have to do this evening. Adam led Flash into the stall and started brushing him down. When that was done, he gave the horse fresh water and put oats in the feeding bin. While Flash ate, Adam ran a curry comb through the horse’s mane.
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